Boxing at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Games | Olympics at Sports-Reference.com Boxing at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Games Date Started: July 28, 1952 Date Finished: August 2, 1952 Events: 10 Participants: 249 (249 men and 0 women) from 43 countries Youngest Participant: Edson Brown (17 years, 74 days) Oldest Participant: Sergey Shcherbakov (34 years, 40 days) Most Medals (Athlete): 40 athletes with 1 medal Most Medals (Country): Soviet Union (6 medals) Overview Boxing at the 1952 Olympics was held at the Messuhalli in Helsinki, which also hosted gymnastics and wrestling events. The Soviet Union entered the 1952 Olympics for the first time, but did not win any of the classes, although they did win two silver and four bronze medals. The tournament was dominated by the American boxers, who won five classes. One went to [Floyd Patterson] in the middleweight class, who would later become world professional heavyweight champion.

Patterson would lose that title in a match against Sweden’s [Ingemar Johansson], although Patterson would regain the title in a re-match one year later. Johansson also “medalled” in Helsinki, losing in the final of the heavyweight class to American [Ed Sanders]. Sanders turned professional after a short stint in the Navy, but in his ninth professional bout, he tragically died from injuries sustained during the fight. Now saying that the Soviets won four bronze medals and that Johansson won a silver medal rather over-simplifies the matter. In fact Johansson was initally not awarded a medal, because he was disqualified in the second round of the final bout for passivity. But Johansson eventually was awarded the medal by the IOC in 1982. In fact, no bronze medals were awarded in 1952. Previously there had always been a match between the losing semi-finalists for the bronze medal. And starting in 1956, and since that time, the losing semi-finalists would both be awarded bronze medals, as the boxing officials did not think it safe that the losing boxers met again only a day or two after their losing bout.

But in 1952, the Official Report stated, “As recommended by the AIBA, gold and silver medals only were awarded. The losers in the semi-finals were not, as previously, matched for bronze medals; instead, both were awarded diplomas. Their national flags were also hoisted at Victory Ceremonies. This decision in regard to medals afterwards gave rise to criticism.” This decision was made at the 2nd AIBA Congress in 1950 in København. In 1951, the IOC agreed to eliminating the match for bronze medals but specifically stated that no bronze medals should then be awarded. In early 1970 the Finnish Boxing Association proposed awarding bronze medals to the losing semi-finalists from 1952. The idea was supported by [Erik von Frenckell], Finnish IOC Member and Chairman of the 1952 Organizing Committee. The AIBA approved this and on 28 March the Finnish Olympic Committee wrote to [Monique Berlioux], with the IOC, asking for approval, which appears to have been tacitly given.

All 20 semi-finalists were invited to a ceremony in Helsinki but only six were able to appear, four of them the losing Finnish semi-finalists, along with [Günther Heidemann] of West Germany and [Boris Nikolov] of Bulgaria. Medalists A Sports Reference Site : About SR/Olympics | Privacy Statement | Conditions & Terms of Service | Use of Data Data provided by OlyMADMen , led by Hilary Evans, Arild Gjerde, Jeroen Heijmans, and Bill Mallon. Members: David Foster, Martin Frank, Jørn Jensen, Carl-Johan Johansson, Taavi Kalju, Martin Kellner, George Masin, Stein Opdahl, Wolf Reinhardt, Ralf Regnitter, Paul Tchir, Magne Teigen, Christian Tugnoli, Morten Aarlia Torp, and Ralf Schlüter. Sports Reference LLC and are not sponsored by or affiliated with the Olympics, the United States Olympic Committee or the International Olympic Committee. Trademarks featured or referred to on this website are the property of their respective trademark holders and not Sports Reference LLC or .

Part of the Famous Boxers - The Greatest Boxers of All Time Famous Boxers Muhammad Ali (1942) Famous For: Being widely considered one of the greatest boxers of all time. The Greatest, “The People’s Champion,” these are nicknames given to one of the most famous athletes in the world, Muhammad Ali. He has born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. before he converted to Islam in 1964. Before turning professional, Ali won a gold medal at the Olympics in Rome in 1960 as a light heavyweight. As a professional heavyweight, we won fifty-six, 37 by knockout. Some of his fights have been given titles, most famous include, “Rumble in the Jungle,” in Kinshasa, Zaire against George Foreman and “The Thrilla in Manila,” in Manila, Philippines against Joe Frazier. Ali was a multiple heavyweight champion during his career as a boxer. Manny Pacquiao (1978) Famous For: World champion in eight weight divisions Eight division world champion, the first to ever accomplish the feat, Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao was named “Fighter of the Decade” in 2009.

A southpaw, Pacquiao’s record is an impressive 54-5 with 2 draws. This is one fighter who has received more than his share of nicknames that include: Pac Man, The Nation’s Fist, Destroyer, Mexicutioner and the list goes on. Mike Tyson (1966) Famous For: Unified the heavyweight titles under the WBA, WBC, & IBF At twenty years old, Mike Tyson became the undisputed heavyweight champion, unifying the WBA (World Boxing Association), WBC (World Boxing Council), and the IBF (International Boxing Federation) heavyweight titles. “The Baddest Man on the Planet”, as Tyson was known, won 44 of his fifty fights by knockout. He is also known as Iron Mike and Kid Dynamite for his hard hitting punches. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (1977) Famous For: Undefeated record Rated as the best pound for pound fighter today, Floyd Mayweather Jr. remains undefeated. He is a world champion in five divisions beginning with the Super Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight, Light Welterweight, and Light Middleweight, divisions.

As an amateur, he had an 84-6 record, as a professional, he is 45-0. He has two nicknames to date, “Money” & “Pretty Boy.” Jack Johnson (1878-1946) Famous For: Galveston Giant The “Galveston Giant” or John Arthur Johnson became the first Black American world boxing heavyweight (179 lbs not more than 201) champion. His reign as champion lasted for seven years. He had a total of 114 fights, he won eighty fights, forty-five by knockouts; twelve draws, fourteen no-contest, and 13 losses. Johnson was an “orthodox” style of boxer. George Foreman (1949) Famous For: Rumble in the Jungle Two time World Heavyweight Champion George Foreman was one of the most famous boxers of his time that go with his epic battles against the likes of Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, and Muhammad Ali. In 1968, he won the gold medal at summer Olympics in Mexico City. In his storied boxing career, Foreman compiled seventy-six wins.

He was the oldest, at age 45, Heavyweight champion to win the title. His nicknames include, “The Heywood Giant, Big George, and the Punching Preacher.” Roy Jones Jr. (1969) Famous For: 1990s Fighter of the Decade After starting as a boxer in the light middleweight division, Roy Jones Jr. eventually found himself winning the heavyweight title. During the 1990s, Jones received the recognition for being the “Fighter of the Decade.” He garnered a total of 56 wins during his professional career, receiving the title Champion as a Middleweight, Super Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, and Heavyweight. He was known as “RJ, Captain Hook, Superman, and Junior.” Rocky Marciano (1923-1969) Famous For: Undefeated Heavyweight boxer Untied and undefeated in his professional boxing career, former World Heavyweight champion Rocky (Rocco Francis Marchegiano) Marciano, is the only boxer to hold this distinction. He had forty-nine fights, lost none, won 43 by knockout.

Born in Brockton, Massachusetts, he has been given the alias “Rock from Brockton” and “Brockton Blockbuster.” Julio César Chávez, Jr. (1986) Famous For: WBC Middleweight champion in 2011 Following in the footsteps of his father, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has a record of 47 wins and 1 loss. He won the WBC middleweight title in 2011. He has been rated to fight in two weight classes, Middleweight and Light Heavyweight. Joe Frazier (1944-2011) Famous For: Thrilla in Manila Joseph William “Smokin Joe” Frazier was proclaimed the “undisputed World Heavyweight Champion” in boxing in 1970. In the 1964 Tokyo summer Olympics, Frazier won the gold medal in the heavyweight division. As a professional, Smokin Joe had 32 wins and 4 losses, twice each to Ali and Foreman. Evander Holyfield (1962) Famous For: Holyfield vs.

Tyson, the Bite With a nickname “The Real Deal”, Evander Holyfield proved that he was just that, the real deal as a boxer. Of his 44 wins, he won 29 by knockout. Some of those wins were at the expense of the likes of Foreman, Holmes, and Mike Tyson, to name a few. Another nickname given to Holyfield was “The Warrior.” Julio César Chávez (1962) Famous For: The Great Mexican Champion Considered as Mexico’s greatest fighter, Julio Cesar Chavez is remembered for his punching power, relentless attack against his opponents, and his ability to take the punches. As a Chavez had 107 wins to go with being crowned six times as world champion in the Super Featherweight, Lightweight, and Light Welterweight divisions. Lennox Lewis (1965) Famous For: Undisputed Champion in 2000 British/Canadian Heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis is viewed by many as one of the greatest fighters of all time. He received a gold medal during the 1988 Seoul summer Olympics. He turned professional in 1989 in which he won forty-one times.

At six feet five inches, he had a reach of 84 inches. He has been given the nickname “The Lion” and “Lenny”, though he viewed himself as “the pugilist specialist.” Victor Ortiz (1987) Famous For: WBC Welterweight champion in 2011 Another southpaw, Victor Ortiz’s fighting record is 29 wins, 4 losses, and 3 draws. In 2011, he won the WBC welterweight title against Andre Berto. He us rated eligible to fight in the welterweight, light welterweight, and light middleweight divisions. Sugar Ray Leonard (1956) Famous For: The Super Fight vs. Hagler In the 1980s, Sugar Ray Leonard received the recognition for being the “Boxer of the Decade”. Although he only figured in 40 fights, he won 36 of them, the men he fought against were equally legendary. Representing the USA at the summer Olympics in 1976, we won gold in the light welterweight division. He fought in five divisions, moving up from Welterweight to Light Heavyweight.

His battles against fellow Hall of Famers were epic, these include the likes of Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Wilfred Benitez, and Marvin Hagler. Timothy Bradley (1983) Famous For: World champion in welterweight division Current WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley is just getting started in his boxing career. To date, he has won 31 fights with no losses. He won the welterweight title against then champion Manny Pacquiao. Jack Dempsey (1895-1983) Famous For: Boxing World Heavyweight Champion 1919-1926 Jack Dempsey held boxing’s World Heavyweight Championship belt for seven years, from 1919 to 1926. Because of his aggressive power, Dempsey was one of the most popular boxers in his time. Of the 83 fights he fought in, Dempsey won 65, winning 51 of those by knock-out. He only lost six of the 83.

His nicknames include “Manassa Mauler” and “Kid Blackie.” Joe Louis (1914-1981) Famous For: Brown Bomber & Boxing World Heavyweight Champion 1937-1949 As boxing’s World Heavyweight champion for twelve years, of the 70 fights Joe Louis fought, he only experienced three losses, winning 66. Of that victories, he won 52 by knockout. He is viewed as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He had reach of 76″. He was nicknamed the Brown Bomber. Sugar Ray Robinson (1921-1989) Famous For: best pound for pound boxer The title of the “greatest boxer” of all time may be given to Sugar Ray Robinson, as an amateur, he had a record of 85-0, 69 won by knockout, forty of those in the first round. Robinson had an “orthodox” style as a boxer. He fought in the welterweight (140 pounds not more than 147) and middleweight (152 pounds not more than 165) divisions of boxing.

Sonny Liston (unknown-1970) Famous For: 1964 rematch against Muhammad Ali One of the most controversial boxers of his time, Sonny Liston had a record of 50 wins and four losses. He was in the heavyweight division and in 1962 was crowned the World Heavyweight Champion. His most memorable fights were those against Floyd Patterson and Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali), whom he each fought two times. Rubin Carter (1937) Famous For: his nickname, the Hurricane The Hurricane, this was the nickname given to middleweight boxer Rubin Carter. He was not tall for a middleweight fighter, but he did have a total of forty fights in which he won 27 of those, 19 by knockout. Jake Lamotta (1921) Famous For: Raging Bull LaMotta has been given the nickname of “Raging Bull” and “Bronx Bull” for his bully style of fighting in the ring. As a middleweight and light heavyweight boxer, Jake fought a total of 106 times, winning 93 of those.

His storied rivalry against Sugar Ray Robinson, they fought six times, the last had been labeled as boxings version of the “Valentine’s Day Massacre” in which LaMotta was out-boxed, out punched by Robinson, but never knocked down. Roberto Durán (1951) Famous For: “No Mas, No Mas” One of the best fighters to step into the wrong was Panamanian Roberto Duran, the man who had been given the nickname “Manos de Piedra or Hands of Stone.” He fought in five different weight classes, Lightweight, Welterweight, Light and Super Middleweight, and Middleweight. He won 103 times and 70 of those by knockout. Shane Mosley (1971) Famous For: Sugar Shane Mosley As a professional boxer, Shane Mosley has a record of 47 wins and 8 losses. 39 of those wins came via knockout. He held world titles as a Lightweight, Welterweight, and Light Middleweight. As an amateur, Mosley’s official record was 230 wins and twelve losses.

Oscar De La Hoya (1973) Famous For: Golden Boy Golden Boy Oscar dela Hoya has won ten world boxing titles in different weight classes beginning in the Super featherweight all the way up to Middleweight, six in all. He won a gold medal at the Olympics in Barcelona, Spain in the lightweight division. His professional boxing record is a respectable 39-6. Larry Holmes (1949) Famous For: Easton Assassin The Easton Assassin, this was how former WBC Heavyweight champion was known. He grew up in the city of Easton in Pennsylvania. He reigned as boxing champion from 1978 through 1983. His record as a professional boxer was 69-6.

Floyd Patterson - BoxRec Floyd Patterson Hall of Fame bio: click World Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee Name: Floyd Patterson Birthplace: Waco, North Carolina, USA Died: 2006-05-11 (Age:71) Hometown: Brooklyn, New York, USA Stance: Orthodox Amateur Career Amateur Record: 40-4, 37 KOs At age 14, Patterson started working out at the Gramercy Gym on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, owned and run by Cus D'Amato. He started boxing as an amateur in 1950. In 1951, Patterson won the New York Daily News Golden Gloves and the New York Golden Gloves Tournament Of Champions , both in the open middleweight division. In 1952, Patterson won the New York Daily News Golden Gloves, the New York Golden Gloves Tournament Of Champions and the Intercity Golden Gloves Championship , all in the open light heavyweight division. Patterson won the 1952 National AAU Middleweight Championship. Patterson won the Gold Medal in the middleweight division at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland.

Results: 1st round bye Defeated Vasili Tita (Romania) KO 1 Preceded by: Professional Career Professional Record: 55-8-1, 40 KOs Won the vacant World Heavyweight Championship with a fifth-round KO of Archie Moore on November 30, 1956. At age 21, Patterson was the youngest ever World Heavyweight Champion . His record was surpassed by Mike Tyson , who won the WBC Heavyweight Championship at age 20 in 1986. In his fifth title defense, Patterson lost the championship to Ingemar Johansson by a third-round TKO on June 26, 1959. Knocked out Ingemar Johansson in five rounds on June 20, 1960, to become the first person to regain the World Heavyweight Championship. Knocked out Ingemar Johansson in six rounds on March 13, 1961, to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. In the third title defense of his second reign, Patterson lost the championship to Sonny Liston by a first-round KO on September 25, 1962.

An embarrassed Patterson left the stadium wearing dark glasses and a fake beard. Attempted to regain the championship from Sonny Liston on July 22, 1963, and was again knocked out in the first round. Defeated Eddie Machen by a twelve-round unanimous decision on July 5, 1964. Defeated George Chuvalo by a twelve-round unanimous decision on February 1, 1965. Attempted to regain the championship from Muhammad Ali on November 22, 1965, and was stopped in twelve rounds. Fought a ten-round draw with Jerry Quarry on June 9, 1967. Most of the ringside press thought Patterson won. Lost to Jerry Quarry by a disputed twelve-round majority decision on October 28, 1967. The fight was part of the WBA 's eight-man elimination tournament to fill the title vacancy left after Muhammad Ali was stripped of the title for refusing to be drafted into the U.S. Army. Fought Jimmy Ellis for the WBA Heavyweight Championship on September 14, 1969, and lost by a disputed fifteen-round decision.

Defeated Oscar Bonavena by a ten-round unanimous decision on February 11, 1972. In his last fight, Patterson was stopped after six rounds by Muhammad Ali on September 20, 1972. Preceded by: Ranked as the 21st greatest heavyweight of all-time by The Ring in 1998. Floyd Patterson ranked 27th of all-time in Hamilton’s Historical Order of Merit published on December 31, 2013. Notes Born in a cabin in Waco, North Carolina, on January 4, 1935. He was the third eldest of 11 children. Grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. Patterson was a frequent truant who fell behind in school. At age 11, he could not read or write. He would not talk, and when someone talked to him he refused to look the person in the face. His mother had him committed to Wiltwyck School, a school in upstate New York for emotionally disturbed boys. His new teachers helped him learn to read and encouraged him to take up boxing.

His younger brother, Ray Patterson , also became a professional heavyweight boxer. Patterson's autobiography, Victory Over Myself, was published in 1962. Died on May 11, 2006, at his home in New Paltz, New York. He suffered from Alzheimer's Disease and prostate cancer. Floyd Patterson: A Boxer and a Gentleman , a biography by Alan H. Levy, was published in 2008. Floyd Patterson: The Fighting Life of Boxing’s Invisible Champion, a biography by W. K. Stratton, was published in 2012. External Links WBC | Hall of Fame Trainers: Cus D’Amato, Joey Fariello, Dan Florio, Al Silvani Amateur Career · Amateur Record: 40-4, 37 KOs · At age 14, Patterson started working out at the Gramercy Gym on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, owned and run by Cus D’Amato. He started boxing as an amateur in 1950.

· In 1951, Patterson won the New York Daily News Golden Gloves and the New York Golden Gloves Tournament Of Champions, both in the open middleweight division. · In 1952, Patterson won the New York Daily News Golden Gloves, the New York Golden Gloves Tournament Of Champions and the Intercity Golden Gloves Championship, all in the open light heavyweight division. · Patterson won the 1952 National AAU Middleweight Championship. · Patterson won the Gold Medal in the middleweight division at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. Results: o Defeated Omar Tebbaka (France) 3-0 o Defeated Leen Jansen (Canada) TKO 1 o Defeated Boris Georgiev Nikolov (Bulgaria) DQ 3 o Defeated Vasili Tita (Romania) KO 1 Professional Career · Professional Record: 55-8-1, 40 KOs · Won the vacant World Heavyweight Championship with a fifth-round KO of Archie Moore on November 30, 1956. At age 21, Patterson was the youngest ever World Heavyweight Champion.

His record was surpassed by Mike Tyson, who won the WBC Heavyweight Championship at age 20 in 1986. · In his fifth title defense, Patterson lost the championship to Ingemar Johansson by a third-round TKO on June 26, 1959. · Knocked out Ingemar Johansson in five rounds on June 20, 1960 to become the first person to regain the World Heavyweight Championship. · Knocked out Ingemar Johansson in six rounds on March 13, 1961 to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. · In the third title defense of his second reign, Patterson lost the championship to Sonny Liston by a first- round KO on September 25, 1962. An embarrassed Patterson left the stadium wearing dark glasses and a fake beard. · Attempted to regain the championship from Sonny Liston on July 22, 1963, and was again knocked out in the first round. · Defeated Eddie Machen by a twelve-round unanimous decision on July 5, 1964.

· Defeated George Chuvalo by a twelve-round unanimous decision on February 1, 1965. · Attempted to regain the championship from Muhammad Ali on November 22, 1965, and was stopped in twelve rounds. · Fought a ten-round draw with Jerry Quarry on June 9, 1967. Most of the ringside press thought Patterson won. · Lost to Jerry Quarry by a disputed twelve-round majority decision on October 28, 1967. The fight was part of the WBA’s eight-man elimination tournament to fill the title vacancy left after Muhammad Ali was stripped of the title for refusing to be drafted into the U.S. Army. · Fought Jimmy Ellis for the WBA Heavyweight Championship on September 14, 1969, and lost by a disputed fifteen-round decision. · Defeated Oscar Bonavena by a ten-round unanimous decision on February 11, 1972. · In his last fight, Patterson was stopped after six rounds by Muhammad Ali on September 20, 1972.

Post-Boxing Career · Trained his adopted son, Tracy Harris Patterson, who won world titles in two weight divisions. · Also trained heavyweight contender Razor Ruddock. · From 1977 to 1984, Patterson was a member of the New York State Athletic Commission. From 1995 to 1998, he was the chairman of the commission. On April 1, 1998, Patterson resigned as commission chairman after a published report said a three-hour videotape of a deposition he gave in a lawsuit revealed he couldn’t remember aspects of his job or important events in his boxing career. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease soon afterward. Awards & Recognition · 1954 Boxing Writers Association of America James P. Dawson Memorial Trophy for Rookie of the Year. · Named the Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Year in 1956 and 1960. · Named The Ring Fighter of the Year in 1956 and 1960. · Inducted into The Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1976. · Inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1985.

· Inducted into the United States Olympic Committee Hall of Fame in 1987. · Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991. · 1995 Boxing Writers Association of America James J. Walker Memorial Award for “long and meritorious service in boxing.” · Ranked as the 21st greatest heavyweight of all-time by The Ring in 1998. · Floyd Patterson ranked 27th of all-time in Hamilton’s Historical Order of Merit published on December 31, 2013. Notes · Born in a cabin in Waco, North Carolina on January 4, 1935. He was the third eldest of 11 children. · Grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. · Patterson was a frequent truant who fell behind in school. At age 11, he could not read or write. He would not talk, and when someone talked to him he refused to look the person in the face. His mother had him committed to Wiltwyck School, a school in upstate New York for emotionally disturbed boys.

His new teachers helped him learn to read and encouraged him to take up boxing. · His younger brother, Ray Patterson, also became a professional heavyweight boxer. · Patterson’s autobiography, Victory Over Myself, was published in 1962. · Died on May 11, 2006 in his New Paltz, New York home. He suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease and prostate cancer. · Patterson is the subject of Alan H. Levy’s biography Floyd Patterson: A Boxer and a Gentleman. Gallery Olympic Boxing 2016: Boxers with Best Chance to Be Professional Stars | Bleacher Report Olympic Boxing 2016: Boxers with Best Chance to Be Professional Stars By Briggs Seekins , Featured Columnist Aug 4, 2016 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow Associated Press 16 Comments From the late 1950s through the late 1970s, nearly every man who reigned as the heavyweight boxing champion of the world was a former Olympic gold medalist: Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman and even Leon Spinks all stood at the top of the Olympic podium.

Some of the top box-office attractions of the past 30 years have also been former Olympic stars. Ray Leonard, Roy Jones Jr., Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. all became famous first through the Olympic tournament. On today's scene, world titleholders James DeGale, Vasyl Lomachenko, Guillermo Rigondeaux and Anthony Joshua all won Olympic gold, as did pound-for-pound contender Andre Ward. WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder took bronze at the 2008 Games. WBA, IBF and WBC middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin won silver in 2004. Olympic boxing might not enjoy the same status it did a generation ago, particularly when it comes to ratings. But for serious fans of the sport, it can't be ignored. It's a great opportunity to get a first look at a future world champ. Here are the boxers with the best chance at lifting a title belt someday. 10. Vitaly Dunaytsev, Light Welterweight, Russia Associated Press The light welterweight and welterweight classes are consistently the most talent-laden in the professional ranks.

A nice amateur career is never any guarantee for eventual stardom there, though. But Russian light welterweight Vitaly Dunaytsev will be a fighter to watch in Rio de Janeiro this year. The two-time Russian amateur champ came into his own last year, when the 24-year-old won the 2015 European Championship and 2015 World Championships. In the past few years, boxing fans have seen the value of a Russian amateur pedigree, with fighters such as Sergey Kovalev and Ruslan Provodnikov developing into major attractions. 9. Erislandy Savon, Heavyweight, Cuba Associated Press In terms of family lineage, Erislandy Savon has to be viewed as a thoroughbred. He's the nephew of Olympic heavyweight legend Felix Savon, a three-time gold medalist who turned down multimillion dollar offers in the 1980s in order to continue representing Cuba in the amateur ranks. Due to his family connection, Savon has had a lot of eyes upon him since he first laced up his gloves. His first splash on the international scene came in 2008, when he took gold at the World Youth Championships.

Savon took silver in the 2015 World Series of Boxing, losing to Azerbaijan's Magomedrasul Majidov, who will fight at super heavyweight in Rio. Savon's biggest competition for gold in the heavyweight division should be Evgeny Tishchenko of Russia. As a professional, Savon would be a small heavyweight by today's standards, though he does have a serious punch and the boxing skill to take out bigger men. 8. Joe Ward, Light Heavyweight, Ireland Associated Press When Belfast native Carl Frampton defeated featherweight champion Leo Santa Cruz over the weekend in Brooklyn, New York, he provided yet another example of the sort of enthusiasm that a fighter from Ireland can expect when he headlines a card in the Big Apple. Joe Ward could get that sort of opportunity in the next few years. He'll be representing Ireland in Rio and has a good chance to medal at light heavyweight. At 22, Ward is a former world youth and world junior champion, as well as a two-time European champ. He won silver in the 2015 World Championships, getting edged in the finals by the far more experienced Julio Cesar La Cruz of Cuba. We could see a rematch between the two in Rio.

7. Zhanibek Alimkhanuly, Middleweight, Kazakhstan Associated Press Fifteen years ago, most Americans had probably never heard of Kazakhstan. A decade ago, they would have only associated it with Borat. But today, for boxing fans at least, Kazakhstan means Gennady Golovkin, the undefeated middleweight champion and one of the sport's major attractions. But GGG didn't develop in a vacuum. The central Asian nation is a former member of the USSR and has a rich tradition for boxing. One of Kazakhstan's best bets for gold in Rio is Zhanibek Alimkhanuly, who fights in Golovkin's own division, middleweight. He lacks Golovkin's rare power, so it's unlikely that Alimkhanuly can become the sort of professional sensation that Golovkin has. But he has a good chance of winning Olympic gold. That's a big start on a professional career for a fighter who wants one. 6. Ivan Dychko, Super Heavyweight, Kazakhstan Associated Press At 25, Ivan Dychko has developed into one of the most decorated current amateur fighters in the world.

The super heavyweight won bronze at the 2011 amateur championships and silver in 2013 and 2015. At the London Games in 2012, Dychko took bronze after losing a 13-11 decision to eventual champion Anthony Joshua in the semifinals. My own guess is that Dychko takes bronze or silver again this year, depending upon when he ends up facing Magomedrasul Majidov. But at over 6'8" in height and with a strong amateur background, he could be an interesting contender in the professional heavyweight scene. 5. Lazaro Alvarez, Lightweight, Cuba Associated Press Lazaro Alvarez is a three-time world champion in the amateur ranks, having won in 2011, 2013 and 2015. He went into 2012 Games in London ranked No. 1 in the world, though John Joe Nevin of Ireland upset him. Alvarez came away with the bronze. His only fight I remember seeing in 2012 was his victory over the American Joseph Diaz, a top professional contender at featherweight.

I actually thought Diaz deserved to beat Alvarez, but I favor professional style scoring and fighters with "USA" on their singlet, so I don't consider my own opinion especially valid in this case. Alvarez is a tricky southpaw in the same mode as Rigondeaux. If he goes pro, he'll outbox nearly any opponent. But like Rigondeaux and Erislandy Lara, he might struggle to find other top professionals who are willing to face him. 4. Julio Cesar La Cruz, Light Heavyweight, Cuba Associated Press Light heavyweight Julio Cesar La Cruz of Cuba is one of the best pound-for-pound amateur boxers in the world. He got upset at the 2012 Games in London, but he's been one of the elite amateur fighters in the world over the past five years, winning world championships in 2011, 2013 and 2015. He was also AIBA's top fighter for 2015. There are high hopes for La Cruz heading into Rio. He will turn 27 this month, so the time is now for him to launch a professional career, if that's his ultimate goal.

If it is, he will enter the professional ranks at an ideal time. The light heavyweight division couldn't be hotter right now. Tweet If Magomedrasul Majidov was from most countries, he would have turned professional a long time ago. He's 6'3", 240 pounds and has genuine punching power. He knocked out Erislandy Savon in the 2015 World Series of Boxing. Azerbaijan is one of the last remaining countries where an elite boxing talent can do as well in the amateur ranks as he might by rolling the dice as a pro. But eventually Majidov will want to show what he can do against the elite boxers in the world. Heavyweight is the one division where a fighter can get away with being older. If Majidov turns professional after Rio, he'll be about the same age (he'll turn 30 in September) as Luis Ortiz was when he turned professional. And in my opinion, no heavyweight fighter in the world right now is better than Ortiz. Ortiz might be pushing 40, but he still has time to consolidate his place at the top of the weight class. Majidov has the same opportunity in front of him after Rio.

Tweet Erickson Lubin was supposed to be the best hope the United States would have to win gold in Rio in 2016. But Lubin turned professional just after turning 18 in 2013, and he's already become a rising star at 154 pounds. With Lubin jump-starting his career, U.S. fans are left with Karlos Balderas. He's not exactly a bad consolation prize. Balderas is heading to Rio as a 19-year-old who is anxious to win glory. He's coming in as one of the hottest amateurs in the world. He qualified for Rio by winning the 2015 World Series of Boxing, earning the outstanding boxing award for the tournament. The 2012 U.S. boxing squad failed to capture a single medal in the men's tournaments. That was a real blow for longtime American fans. If Balderas can return U.S. boxing to glory this year, he'll have a big jump on his professional career. Floyd Patterson - Boxer - Biography.com Floyd Patterson African-American boxer Floyd Patterson became the youngest heavyweight champion in history and the first heavyweight to regain his title following a loss.

IN THESE GROUPS Famous Alexander Hamilton Vocational High School Alumni quotes “You can hit me and I won't think much of it, but you can say something and hurt me very much.” Floyd Patterson Synopsis Born on January 4, 1935, in Waco, North Carolina, boxer Floyd Patterson won the middleweight gold medal at the 1952 Olympics. He became the youngest heavyweight champion in history in 1956, and four years later became the first heavyweight to regain his title after a loss. Named chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission in 1995, Patterson died on May 11, 2006, in New Paltz, New York. Early Struggles and Amateur Success Floyd Patterson was born on January 4, 1935, in Waco, North Carolina, the third of Thomas and Annabelle Patterson's 11 children. Growing up poor in Waco and later in Brooklyn, he was an antisocial child who hated school.

Unable to read or write by age 11, Patterson was sent to the Wiltwyck School for Boys in upstate New York, where he finally made progress in the classroom and learned how to box. After returning home, Patterson started working out with legendary boxing trainer Cus D'Amato at the Gramercy Gym in Manhattan. He began boxing as an amateur in 1950, and won New York Golden Gloves titles in 1951 and 1952. At the 1952 Summer Olympic Games in Helenski, Finland, Patterson notched five knockouts in as many bouts to win the middleweight gold medal. Professional Boxing Career Patterson turned professional after the Olympics, winning his first paid bout by knockout in September 1952. Fighting as a light heavyweight, he lost only once over the next four years. With the heavyweight title up for grabs following the retirement of Rocky Marciano, Patterson scored a fifth-round knockout of Archie Moore in November 1956 to become the youngest heavyweight champion in history.

He successfully defended his title four times, overcoming his natural reticent nature and size disadvantage with speed and an unusual "peek-a-boo" style that flummoxed opponents. In June 1959, Patterson suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Sweden's Ingemar Johansson, who floored the champ seven times before the fight was stopped in the third round. But Patterson won the June 1960 rematch with a convincing fifth-round knockout, becoming the first heavyweight to regain the championship, and he stopped Johansson again in their grudge match the following March. Patterson lost the heavyweight championship for the second time when Sonny Liston knocked him out in the first round in September 1962. Although they squared off again in July 1963, there was no redemption for Patterson, who lost via first-round knockout again. He earned another shot at the title with a bout against Muhammad Ali in November 1965. Although the pre-fight hype played up the bad blood between them, with Ali calling Patterson an "Uncle Tom," the two boxers shared a mutual respect.

Recognizing that Patterson had been slowed by a back injury, Ali withheld from unleashing the full fury of his blows until finally delivering a 12th-round knockout. Patterson remained a quality fighter well into his 30s, missing out on chances to regain the championship with losses to Jerry Quarry and Jimmy Ellis. Facing Ali once again in September 1972, he fought gamely for six rounds before the match was stopped in the seventh due to a swelling cut near his eye. It was the last fight of Patterson's professional career, although he never formally retired, and he finished with an impressive record of 55-8-1, including 40 knockouts. Later Years and Death From 1977 to 1984, Patterson was a member of the New York State Athletic Commission, which supervised boxing in the state. He was honored for his accomplishments with his induction into the United States Olympic Committee Hall of Fame in 1987 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991.

Patterson was named chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission in 1995, but the onset of Alzheimer's disease hindered his work, and he retired in 1998. Boxing's quiet champion died from the effects of Alzheimer's and prostate cancer on May 11, 2006, in New Paltz, New York. Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us ! Citation Information Floyd Patterson - Bio, Facts, Family | Famous Birthdays Floyd Patterson Capricorn Boxer#11 About Two-time heavyweight boxing champion of the world who won a gold medal in the middleweight class at the 1952 Olympics. He compiled a career record of 55-8-1. Before Fame He was a petty thief, which landed him in a reformatory institution. Trivia When he was 21, he became the undisputed heavyweight champion, the youngest to ever earn the title.

Question: Which World Heavyweight Champion boxer won the gold medal in the middleweight division at the 1952 Olympics?
Answer: FLOYD PATTERSON